Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-22

Interesting Developments in Court-A
 Clerical Error Claimed by the Town.
 It was developed before Judge Brad street in the District Court yesterday af- ternoon in the case of the Town of Water bury against the City of Waterbury that the city has settled its share of the in surance for 1886, having now onlya claim by the town of between $1OO and $2OO. The principal at stake, however, is just the same and the case will be as zealously fought by both sides as if $1O0,0O0 were involved.
 When the DEMOCRAT was going to press the lawyers were kicking about the ad instability of evidence concerning the records of the Court of Common Council prescribing and modifying the power previous to 1885 of the Committee on Public Lands and Buildings. Attorney Terry, for the city, objected, but his ob- lection was overruled and he noted an exception. r
 City Clerk Kilduff then in response to Attorney Burpee, for the town, said that he knew of no vote passed by the Court of Common Council to that effect since the was created.
 Councilman John Blair, member of the Committee on Public Lands and Buildings and agent for City Hall, read from the minutes of the Committee to the effect that the Committee on October IS, 1885, voted to insure the City Hall and contents for $6O OOO for one year from November 2, 1885, and that arrangements for the same be left with the Committee on the part of
 the town in the Board. The Committee on the part of the town were Benjamin Sedgwick, George A. Boughton and o. H. Bronson.
 Mir Terry claimed that the Committee had no authority to make contract to ex tend beyond u cir term of office. MT Blair, continuing read from the
 minutes showing that the Committee voted { on October 29, 1886 to insure the City Hall for $6O, ,OO0, the committee on the part of the town to present the subject to the Court of Common Council for approval and that arrangements for the insurance 1 be left to the committee on the part of the town.
 Attorney Terry objected to this line of
 testimony and voted an exception, | MT Blair said he could not find any
 record of any such vote in 1883 or 1884, nor did he have any knowledge of any was member of the committee, and an ex- animation of the minutes did not reveal it. Selectman J. B. Doherty testified that the town had paid the premium on an in surance on the City Hall of S6O,OOO for 1885 and 1886. The city had recently re- imbursed the town except $112. 50 due on the insurance for 1885. In previous years
 the city had paid the town, but always few months late.
 Attorney Terry objected to the question concerning the method that had been pur- sued in the purchase of coal It was over ruled and the defense noted another ex- ception.
 Col Doherty said that John Blair bought the coal upon the authority of the Joint Committee on Public Lands and Buildings. The towns portion had always been paid for. In regard to gas bills MT Blair paid the bill this year and last year.
 MT Blair, being recalled, said that he bought the coal, and the town and city paid the bills, which are sent, one-half to the town and one-half to the city. The gas bill, janitor's salary and inciden- tals he bought out of the receipts from City Hall. E. T. Root, of Smith & Root, insurance agents, testified that he insured City Hall
 in 1884 and 1885, and nearly every year since 1869 The town had always paid
 the premium except in 1886.
 City Clerk Kilduff, being recalled, testi- fled that the Court of Common Council in
 November 1885, appropriated $500 for the Committee on Public Lands and Buildings
 for the year 1886. He read from the
 minutes a vote passed by both branches
 appropriating $9OO to pay for the insurance on City Hall for two years from 1886.. Attorney Burpee said here that he would
 call for the original vote. He said that he understood that. there had been mis- 1 take in the dating of this resolution, that l it should have been two years from 1885. Attorney Terry said if it had been under stood that way there would have been three votes in the Council for it and none in the Board of Aldermen. "They did not intand anr snch thinp.b hA ctnfinnad